Of Blood and Fire
by HippogriffRider77
Summary: "Stefan, you need to make up your mind, because I'm tired of waiting for you to choose."  "You told me to make a choice and I have...I choose us."
1. Meeting You Prt 1

_ "You told me I needed to make a choice and I have. I choose us."_

* * *

><p>Faye Chamberlain woke up earlier than usual and sighed.<p>

_Another day, another magic less hell. _She thought to herself as she sat up. There was nothing that made her angrier than Diana's binding ritual, and of course, that was the one thing she couldn't run from.

She closed her eyes and leaned back, trying desperately to fall back asleep. When she failed, she got up and grabbed a black tank top, ripped black jeans and her leather jacket and went to her bathroom. She tossed her fresh clothes next to her sink and got out of her pajamas and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water intoxicate her.

* * *

><p>When Faye was out of the shower and dressed, she realized it was around time for Melissa to call her to wake her up.<p>

Faye walked out of the bathroom and picked her phone up off of her bed.

_Melissa? _She thought to herself, _what are you doing that's more important than what you've been doing every day for the past three years?  
><em>Her phone still remained silent.

Faye sighed and grabbed her bag, walking out of her room and down the stairs. She walked straight for the door.

"Faye, aren't you a bit early?" her mother asked from behind her, and Faye sighed, irritated, and turned to face her mother.

"Melissa asked me to go help her with something before school," Faye lied, "I'll see you there, okay?"

Faye turned back to the door and turned the knob, _just let me go, Mom. _She thought.

"Faye."

"Yes, Mother? What do you want?" Faye asked, turning around once again. She smiled a false smile, "What's so important that you're stopping me from going to help my friend?"

"What does Melissa need help with?"

"Oh my God. You don't believe me."

"Faye, is this about a boy?" Dawn asked her, "Is that the reason you've been acting so distant lately?"

"Distant? Mom, I'm not lying, and I haven't been distant. I'm just going to Melissa's."

"Faye, you're my daughter. If you're behaving out of normal terms, I'm bound to notice. Melissa has Diana right across the street; you don't need to hurry out of the door right away. Stay for a little while; let's talk."

"What are you now, the school counselor? There isn't a boy, and even if there was, I wouldn't tell you. I have friends I talk to about things like that, and my high school principal mom isn't one of them, okay? Goodbye, Mother." Faye said, opening the door and making a point of closing it loudly after she was outside.

"Hey, Faye," she heard someone call, and she looked down the street to see Adam walking towards her, "Where are you going?"

"School. God, what is with everyone wanting to know my every move today?" Faye snapped as she unlocked her car.

"Really, Faye? School? Nobody's going to believe that, you know, especially you mom."

Faye rolled her eyes, "What do you want, Adam?"

"I don't want anything from you, Faye, besides to know where you're going so early."

"I don't think that that's any of your business, Adam, so if you'll excuse me."

"Why is your mom staring at us?"

Faye turned to see what Adam was talking about, and saw her mother looking through the front window at Adam talking to her.

"Oh, my God!" Faye screamed, "Sorry, Adam, but unless you want my mom asking you why we're dating at school, you might want to leave." Faye said, walking so fast that she was almost running to the driver's door of her car.

"Dating, Faye, what did you say to her?"

"I didn't say anything, Adam; she thinks that I'm dating someone because I don't want to be her best friend anymore."

"You never did."  
>"Exactly my point; so go." Faye opened the door and got in<p>

"What—Faye!"

She slammed the door shut saying, "See you at school."

Faye dove off and Adam stood on the sidewalk next to her front door, confused. He turned and waved to Mrs. Chamberlain, who pretended to not have been watching their conversation.

* * *

><p>Stefan Salvatore walked onto the Chance Harbor school campus and pressed the ignore button. Ever since the night before when he had told his brother he was leaving, Damon wouldn't stop trying to figure out where he was.<p>

He could feel the prying eyes on him from all directions and remembered his first day of school in Mystic Falls, Virginia. Only there, he met a girl and fell in love before giving himself over to protect her; he would make sure that didn't happen here.

As he walked into the building, someone he assumed to be a teacher walked up to him.

"Mr. Salvatore isn't it?" she asked him.

"Yes...who's asking?" he asked, staring into her eyes to compel her.

"Dawn Chamberlain, the school principal."

"What do you want?"

"To give you your schedule and to welcome you to Chance Harbor."

"Then do it and never speak to me again without my consent, understood?"

"Yes." Dawn said, handing Stefan his schedule and locker assignment.

"Thank you, Mrs. Chamberlain. I hope I don't disappoint you while I'm here." Stefan said, walking past the confused principal.

* * *

><p>Faye walked into the high school and was nearly attacked by Melissa.<p>

"I'm not speaking to you right now, Melissa, so thank you, but goodbye." Faye said quickly, barely looking at Melissa.

"What, why, what did I do?"

"What was more important than calling me this morning?"

Melissa looked confused, and after a few seconds, she laughed, "I did call you. But my phone died halfway through the dialing. I'm sorry, I would've used my brother's phone, but I didn't think you'd want him to keep calling you for the rest of your life."

Faye laughed, "Thanks for that. No offense, but I'd have to hurt your brother if he were to stalk me."

"Trust me, I've thought about it before." Melissa told her, "The entire eleventh grade is going to be going crazy today."

"Why is that? Someone get hurt?" Faye made a dramatic sigh and said, "Has Cassie disappeared?"

"Faye." Melissa said, trying to get Faye to stop talking about her hatred for Cassie, "No, nobody's hurt. There's a new guy starting here today."

"How do you know this if I don't?"

"Diana told me your mom told her dad."

"I can't believe Diana's stupid enough to think that they're dating."

"I think its sweet, Faye. It's been sixteen years; all of our parents need to move on."

"My mom doesn't move on, Melissa." Faye said, stopping and turning so she was standing in front of Melissa, "My mother told me when my dad died that nobody could ever replace him."

"Faye, she isn't replacing him by dating Mr. Meade," Melissa said, trying to calm Faye down, "Nobody can replace your dad, just like nobody can replace mine."

"It's different for you, Melissa. Your mom actually cares about; mine never has. When my Grandpa came up to visit, you could just tell that she couldn't wait for him to leave. And after we found him at the lake house, she…she acted like it never happened. So, I know I should be happy if she's happy, but it's creepy. She never really cared about Dad's family, and plus, its _Diana's dad_."

"Faye, I…I'm sorry. I forgot how awful your mom was when your grandfather was there."

Faye shook her head, "It doesn't matter, Mel. It's just how my mom is."

"Come on, we don't want to be late."

* * *

><p>Faye walked to her locker and Melissa helped her magically unlock it.<p>

"Diana thinks Adam and Cassie are dating." Melissa told her, leaning against the lockers while Faye got her books.  
>"Ugh, whatever…can we talk about something else?"<p>

"Check it out." Melissa said, looking down the hallway behind Faye.

Faye turned her head and saw someone she had never seen walking towards her.

"Oh my God." Faye whispered, "He has the vacant locker next to mine."

"Score for Chamberlain. God, he's cute." Melissa whispered as the guy reached his locker.

Faye looked at Melissa, who mouthed, "Your turn, kid."

Faye grabbed her books and slammed her locker, turning and leaning on her locker to face the guy.

"You're new here, right? I'm Faye."

The guy glanced at her and then went back to trying to figure out the locker combination.

"Your supposed to introduce yourself, too, new guy."

Stefan groaned and fought the urge to ignore her the way he'd ignored Elena and failed, resulting in him facing her, "Hey. I'm Stefan."


	2. A Way of Hiding

Faye sat in her first class, not paying attention to the teacher and promptly ignoring Melissa's questioning stares.

She needed to talk to someone, and silently thought of a spell she'd used in the past.

_It isn't going to work. _She thought to herself, sighing. Bound Circle never did independent magic.

_What happened with the new kid in the hallway? _She heard in her head, and she turned to see Melissa paying attention to what the teacher was writing on the board.

_Melissa? Are we…is the spell actually working again? _

_Yeah, it's working. _

It was definitely Melissa's voice in Faye's head.

_So, what happened with Stefan in the hallway? _Melissa asked.

_ What are you talking about? Nothing happened. _

_ Faye, something happened, I saw it, and I know you. Don't take this the wrong way, but you're not very good at hiding things from me._

_ Nothing happened, Mel; Stefan's new here, nobody knows him well enough for anything to _have _happened._

_ Faye, you can tell me. You know that. I felt something happen with you two out there. What was it?_

_ I…I'd sound insane if I said what I felt._

_ Crazier than me for being in love with your ex's brother before he drowned?_

_ Probably._

_ What happened? You can tell me, and it isn't like anyone else can hear it. We're the only Circle members who know this spell._

_ It…he…_ Faye sighed; _it felt like I knew him; like we'd met before. I wasn't sure before I saw his face, but…Mel, his eyes. When I looked into his eyes I felt this connection…like we knew each other._

_ Do you think he's related to someone native to town? _

_ No; if he was part of a family from Chance Harbor, we'd have seen him before. _

"Miss. Chamberlain," a voice said from the front of the classroom said, causing Faye to jump out of her daze, "Would you mind telling the class about the fire that destroyed your father?"

Faye looked up at her teacher and sighed, "Excuse me?"

"Tell the class about the fire that destroyed your father."

"That's crazy," Melissa spoke up, "You really want her to talk about the fire that killed our parents?"

"That's correct, Melissa, now please, stop interrupting so Faye can talk."

"But that's insane! Everyone in town knows about the fire at the dock, why make someone talk about it, especially someone who lost her dad in it?"

"Do you have something you'd like to say about the way I teach, Melissa?"  
>"Yeah, I do, actually. The fire that killed our parents and destroyed six students' families in Chance Harbor was terrible, but it's cruel for a teacher to make one of the victim's daughter talk about it!"<p>

"Mr. Salvatore is a new student and resident of Chance Harbor; I believe he has a right to know the history, don't you?"

"The boat fire of Chance Harbor? It was sixteen years ago, wasn't it?" someone spoke up, and Faye turned to see Stefan looking straight at their teacher, "A lot of people died in it, including Faye and Melissa's fathers, Adam Conant and Diana Meade's mothers and Nick and Jake Armstrong's parents, correct, sir?"

"Correct, Mr. Salvatore. Miss. Chamberlain, please control your friend in the future."

Their teacher turned around to face the board again and Faye looked at Stefan, who was watching her.

"How did you know that?" she whispered.

"I didn't do anything."

Faye rolled her eyes, "Yes, you did."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Faye."

Faye shook her head and paid attention to her teacher.

As soon as the bell rang, Faye jumped up and followed Stefan to their lockers.

"You knew about the fire, and you've never been to Chance Harbor before. How did you know?"

"Faye, just drop it, okay? It isn't important on how I know. You need to let it go."

"Listen, Stefan, I'm a lot of things that you don't know, but know that I'm not stupid. I heard you talking about the fire in there, as well as Melissa and Mr. Connor did. Tell me how you knew."

"Faye, you need to let it go. The sooner, the better. Do you understand?"

"You're hiding something. I can tell, and I promise, I will find out why you're hiding from me."

"You don't know me, okay? So stop trying to figure me out."

"I'm not trying to figure you out, Stefan. I just want to know how you know about the fire."

"And why is that exactly, Faye?"

"It's because my father died in that fire when I was a baby, Stefan! I want to know how you know about it; I promise I won't tell anybody, I just want to know."

"You need to stop trying to figure me out, Faye. It's dangerous for both of us."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, stop trying to be my friend. I don't do friends."

"I don't believe that."

"And why exactly is that?"

"You—you stuck up for Melissa! And you kept Connor from making me talk about why my father was murdered. Someone who doesn't do friends would have let us relive that pain in front of everyone."

"Faye, stop trying to make me the person you want."

"I don't want you, Stefan. I don't want anything from you besides to know how you know about the fire."

"Faye…"

"What? Is it so wrong for me to want to know how you know about the fire that destroyed my father? To want to know how you—an outsider who has never been here before, knows about the fire."

Stefan sighed.

"You need to tell me. He was my dad, Stefan."

"I will. Later. I've got to get to class." Stefan closed his locker and brushed past Faye, sending a jolt up her arm.

* * *

><p>The rest of the school day passed as a magic less blur for Faye; with the exception of the mind conversations she had with Melissa, she had no reason to be at school.<p>

But that was a lie, and she knew it; she was still there to see him.

When the final bell for the day rang, Faye walked to her locker and stood there, leaning against it, waiting for Stefan to appear.

When he finally did, he saw Faye waiting and laughed, "You just can't be patient, can you?"

"You told me you would tell me after school, and I know that where you're from they may not have it, but here, that bell we just heard means that school's over for the day."

"I know what the last bell of the day is, Faye, I've gone to schools before," Stefan laughed, starting to walk towards the doors.

"Well, it isn't like anyone would know that, Stefan; you've barely talked to anyone since the day started. You know that isn't a good way to start the year, right? Everyone will think you're a loner." Faye told him, walking with him.

"Maybe I want to be a loner; not be like everyone else."

"No one wants to be a loner in a small school like Chance Harbor; it's weird, if you have friends, people don't know as much of your business as if you _are _a loner."

"Shouldn't—shouldn't that be the other way around?"

"You would think, but it isn't. So, are you going to tell me how you know about the fire or not?"

"If I do will you leave me alone?"

"I'll never speak to you again; Chamberlain honor." Faye said, before adding as a whisper, "Although, if you meet my mom, you'll discover she doesn't stick true to that honor very well."

Stefan laughed, "My older brother used to travel a lot before our father died. He was here a few years ago, very briefly. He saw the anniversary of the fire on a newspaper."

"Who's your brother? Someone might have met him."

"I would doubt that."

"Any why is that, exactly? Why do you think no one should know who you are?"

"We Salvatores have a way of staying hidden from people we don't want to see." Stefan told her before walking towards the sidewalk, waving over his shoulder at Faye as he disappeared into the fog.


	3. The Truth

Faye walked onto the Chance Harbor pier and weaved her way through all of the people towards the edge. She could see the Conant boat lit up, and knew that that was where the Circle would be, including Melissa. And she _needed _Melissa.

She stepped onto the boat and looked around, not seeing anybody on the deck. She took a step underneath and looked around, but nobody was there.

"Damn it, Adam," she groaned, climbing off the boat. She needed to find Melissa so she could party; even if her best friend never took any of Nick's secret stash, she needed her to be there when she paid tribute to her best friend's dead boyfriend.

Somebody crashed into her, causing her to step backwards, and she felt anger flare through her.

"Hey, watch where you're going!"

"I could say the same to you, Chamberlain."

Faye looked up to see the teenager standing in front of her.

"Stefan. The elusive new guy who just hours ago said that he was staying hidden until he wanted somebody to see him. What are you doing at the party?"

"I didn't realize you were in charge of the invitations."

"There are no invitations. Don't tell me you were looking for me."

"Guilty. Crazy, nosy, controlling girls are my type. You seemed welcoming at school, I hoped maybe that would happen here, too."

Stefan smiled at her, and she grinned, rolling her eyes.

"Come on," she said, walking towards the Boathouse.

* * *

><p>Faye opened the basement door of the Boathouse and saw her Circle all sitting around in different places.<p>

Cassie looked up first, "Hi, Faye."

"Hey, Stefan," Melissa called, waving.

Jake looked up from the corner and gave Stefan a death glare, "Who is this, Faye?"

"Stefan Salvatore, nice to meet you," Stefan said, giving Faye an uncomfortable look.

"Come on, Stefan, we can go. Adam, I'm taking this," Faye said, grabbing a bottle of scotch from the cabinet on the wall. "See you later. Bye, Melissa."

* * *

><p>"Are you sure it's okay that you took that?" Stefan asked, laughing.<p>

"His dad won't even realize that it's gone," Faye said, climbing onto the Conant boat. "Trust me. Come on."

"Is this your boat, too?" Stefan asked, following her in board and onto the lower level.

"Like the scotch, it's the Conants' but his dad's at the restaurant and we know where they are, so don't worry, nobody's going to find out."

Thirty minutes later, both Faye and Stefan were sitting on the floor of the Conant boat, and both of them were drunk.

"I have to admit, you're a lot more fun now than you are at school," Faye said, taking a drink and handing the bottle to him.

"That's because you aren't nearly as mind-numbingly annoying here as you were at school."

"Well, I don't have my cousin breathing down my back when we aren't around my mother. Although she probably has Adam trying to find us right now."

"Why would anybody want to follow Faye Chamberlain? You would think that they would know not to cross you. I've known you a day and already know that."

"They're convinced that I'll try getting solo power or something," Faye shrugged, not realizing her slip.

Stefan gave her a look, "What are you talking about?"

Faye knew that telling the secret would only get her in trouble, but they were drunk; even if he believed her, he wouldn't remember. She could get away with saying anything, and he wouldn't remember it. And if she did, she could always convince Melissa to help her fix it.

Faye moved forward so she was closer to him, and she leaned closer to his face.

"I'm a witch." She whispered.

"Really?" Stefan nodded, sounding like it was something he heard every day.

Faye nodded and took the bottle from him, taking a drink.

"Well, don't worry Faye, I won't tell your secret, because it turns out that I'm a vampire."


End file.
